STARDUST Launch Sequence Diagrams

STARDUST Boost Profile

Launch occurs in three phases, consisting of liftoff and
insertion into a
189-kilometer (102-mile) parking orbit; a coast of about a half hour until
the vehicle position is
properly aligned relative to the direction it must leave Earth; and final
injection to an escape
trajectory. The total time needed to complete the process is a little under
an hour.

Sixty-six seconds after liftoff, the four solid rocket motors will be
discarded while the
first stage continues to burn. About 4 minutes, 24 seconds after liftoff,
the first stage will stop
firing and be discarded eight seconds later. About five seconds later, the
second stage engine
ignites. The fairing or nose-cone enclosure of the launch vehicle will be
discarded 4 minutes,
42 seconds after liftoff. The first burn of the rocket's second stage ends
about 11 minutes, 22
seconds after liftoff.

STARDUST Injection Phase

About 21 minutes after launch, the second stage will restart. At about 24
minutes into
the flight, the third stage will separate and burn for about two minutes,
after which the Stardust
spacecraft will separate from the third stage and begin its first orbit of
the Sun.

Immediately after separation from the Delta's third stage, Stardust will
stop its own
spinning by firing its thrusters. About 4 minutes after separation, the
spacecraft's solar array
will be unfolded and be pointed toward the Sun. Shortly thereafter, the
34-meter-diameter
(112-foot) antenna at the Deep Space Network complex in Canberra, Australia
will acquire
Stardust's signal.